mele kalikimaka

i had the best time at my friend/neighbor's cookie swap yesterday. i think she said this was the 6th year for this event. it is the 4th one that i have been invited to and attended. this cookie swap is unlike any other that i have witnessed or been a part of...ever. she always has the party on the first saturday in december. i was telling some friends last night that i look forward to it as one of the most festive things i do all season. it truly kicks off the holiday party season each year for me.

i baked 4 dozen chess squares on friday night and pb and i ordered mexican food from our favorite place. he had a fire on the patio, his favorite allagash beer in hand (this was to be a special weekend for him...war eagle!) and called his buddy to talk football. i baked and listened to music inside the warm house. those chess squares make our whole house smell like christmas. it was a cozy and fun friday evening. the fire was out and we were in bed by 10:00. i knew saturday was going to be a big day for both of us.

when i woke up saturday morning, i enjoyed some coffee, got all of my chess squares cut and arranged on the platter and then got ready for the party. pb was already nervous about the big game. auburn in the sec championship...his dream. around 10:30 my bff arrived at my house and we walked to the party together. it was cold and felt like a perfect december morning. everything on my neighbor's porch was decorated for christmas and it looked so inviting. as we opened the door you could smell all of the cookies and other goodies she had prepared. her house was lit up with lights and shiny decorations everywhere. she had a champagne punch and bloody mary's for holiday spirits to go along with all of the treats. here is where the line of difference is drawn between this cookie swap and other cookie swaps i have been to in the past. this swap is a party at 10:30 in the morning...in a good way. there is a lot of laughing and there are a lot of bad pictures being made. so much fun. there are door prizes (i got the mat for my front door that i wanted...the prize for the guest that walked the shortest distance to the party). after the door prizes, everyone walks around the table and fills up their containers with a sampling of all the treats. the table looks like nothing i can describe. i called pb to walk up and help me carry all of my things back down the hill. he was in full, game-day serious mode so walking into a house of loud, laughing girls that are 2 hours in to a bunch of sugar and champagne was not very amusing to him. but he was a good sport.

i think the party went on for some time. we could hear music being cranked up and more laughing for quite a while. maybe i left too soon?

a thank you to the hostess for a fabulous time at the annual cookie swap. enjoyed seeing friends and being a part of this christmas party. cannot wait until next year!